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List of Ottoman governors of Egypt facts for kids

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The Ottoman Empire's governors of Egypt were important leaders who managed Egypt for the Ottoman Empire from 1517 to 1805. These governors had different names like beylerbey, viceroy, governor, or wāli. They lived and worked from the Cairo Citadel in Cairo.

The Ottoman sultans, who were the main rulers, often changed governors quickly. This sometimes caused problems, like in 1623, when local soldiers insisted on keeping Kara Mustafa Pasha as governor, even after he was replaced.

Governors worked with a special council called a divan. This council included a kadı (a judge) and a defterdar (a treasurer). The title "beylerbey" was for regular governors chosen by the Ottoman sultan. The title "kaymakam" was for a temporary governor who took charge between the time one governor left and the next one arrived. Many governors had a kaymakam because of the long travel distances, but only the most important temporary governors are usually mentioned in historical records.

This list shows the Ottoman governors of Egypt from 1517, when the Ottomans took control of Egypt, until 1805. After 1805, the rulers of Egypt, like the Muhammad Ali dynasty, were still officially Ottoman governors, but they started using the title "Khedive" and passed their role down in their families.

No. Governor Start End Title Identity notes Tenure notes
1 Yunus Pasha Arolsen Klebeband 01 461 1.jpg 1517 1517 Beylerbey His time as governor ended early.
2 Hayır Bey No picture available 1517 1522 Beylerbey Died while in office.
3 Çoban Mustafa Pasha No picture available 1522 1523 Beylerbey Helped stop a small Mamluk uprising.
4 Hain Ahmed Pasha No picture available 1523 1524 Sultan He tried to become the ruler himself, but his time in power ended.
5 Güzelce Kasım Pasha [ar] (1st) No picture available 1524 1525 Beylerbey
6 Pargalı Ibrahim Pasha Pargalı İbrahim Paşa.jpg 1525 1525 Beylerbey He stayed for 3 months and helped organize the government and military in Ottoman Egypt.
7 Güzelce Kasım Pasha [ar] (2nd) No picture available 1525 1525 Beylerbey
8 Hadım Süleyman Pasha (1st) Arolsen Klebeband 01 465 2 (cropped).jpg 1525 1535 Beylerbey
9 Divane Hüsrev Pasha No picture available 1535 1537 Beylerbey
10 Hadım Süleyman Pasha (2nd) Arolsen Klebeband 01 465 2 (cropped).jpg 1537 1538 Beylerbey
11 Davud Pasha No picture available 1538 1549 Beylerbey He had a long-standing disagreement with Rüstem Pasha; he died in office.
Lala Kara Mustafa Pasha Lala Mustafa Paşa.jpg 1549 1549 Kaymakam He served only a few months as a temporary governor.
12 Semiz Ali Pasha No picture available 1549 1553 Beylerbey He was appointed to another position in Constantinople.
13 Dukakinzade Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1553 1556 Beylerbey His actions led to his removal from power.
14 Iskender Pasha No picture available 1556 1559 Beylerbey He had many public works built between Bab Zuweila and Bab al-Khalq.
15 Sofu Hadım Ali Pasha No picture available 1559 1560 Beylerbey Also known as Sufi Ali Pasha or Hadım Ali Pasha; he died in office.
16 Kara Şahin Mustafa Pasha No picture available 1560 1563 Beylerbey He was the founder of the Ridwan dynasty and a former governor of Gaza.
17 Müezzinzade Ali Pasha Sufi ali pasha.jpg 1563 1566 Beylerbey Also known as Sufi or Sofu Ali Pasha.
18 Mahmud Pasha No picture available 1566 1567 Beylerbey He built the Mosque of Mahmud Pasha and his time in office ended suddenly.
19 Koca Sinan Pasha (1st) Arolsen Klebeband 02 327.jpg 1567 1569 Beylerbey
20 Çerkes Iskender Pasha [ar] No picture available 1569 1571 Beylerbey Known locally as al-Faqih, meaning "the jurist."
21 Koca Sinan Pasha (2nd) Arolsen Klebeband 02 327.jpg 1571 1573 Beylerbey
22 Hüseyin Pasha Boljanić No picture available 1573 1574 Beylerbey He was known for being mild, but there were more thieves during his short term.
23 Hadim Mesih Pasha No picture available 1574 1580 Beylerbey He took strong action against thieves, which helped reduce robbery for a long time.
24 Hadım Hasan Pasha No picture available 1580 1583 Beylerbey He was later sent to Constantinople.
25 Damat Ibrahim Pasha No picture available 1583 1585 Beylerbey
26 Defterdar Sinan Pasha [ar] No picture available 1585 1587 Beylerbey He was removed from his position because he couldn't collect enough taxes.
27 Kara Üveys Pasha [tr] No picture available 1587 1590 Beylerbey Died while in office.
28 Hadım Hafız Ahmed Pasha No picture available 1590 1594 Beylerbey He was appointed governor of Bursa.
29 Kurd Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1594 1596 Beylerbey
30 Emir Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1596 1598 Beylerbey Known as al-Sharif and seyyid, he often visited the Al-Hussein Mosque.
31 Hızır Pasha [ar] No picture available 1598 1601 Beylerbey
32 Yavuz Ali Pasha No picture available 1601 1603 Beylerbey He was appointed as Grand Vizier.
33 Maktul Hacı Ibrahim Pasha No picture available 1604 1604 Beylerbey His time as governor ended suddenly due to unrest among soldiers.
34 Hadım Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1604 1605 Beylerbey He tried to calm the unrest, but it didn't work.
35 Yemenli Hasan Pasha [ar] No picture available 1605 1607 Beylerbey He was previously the beylerbey of Yemen Eyalet (1580–1604).
36 Öküz Mehmed Pasha Öküz Mehmed Pasha Statue, Kuşadası 05.jpg 1607 1611 Beylerbey Known as "kul kıran" (slavebreaker) for putting down a soldier uprising.
37 Sofu Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1611 1615 Beylerbey Not to be confused with Grand Vizier Sofu Mehmed Pasha.
38 Nişancı Ahmed Pasha No picture available 1615 1618 Beylerbey Head of Janissaries (1615); not the same as Grand Vizier Nişancı Ahmed Pasha.
39 Lefkeli Mustafa Pasha No picture available 1618 1618 Beylerbey He left most of the governing to his family, which led to problems.
40 Cafer Pasha No picture available 1618 1619 Beylerbey He was educated in various subjects and was formerly governor of Yemen.
41 Hamidi Mustafa Pasha [ar] No picture available 1619 1620 Beylerbey Also known as Ispartalı Mustafa Pasha, he was removed for policies that affected merchants.
42 Mere Hüseyin Pasha No picture available 1620 1622 Beylerbey He was removed after the flooding of the Nile caused a drought.
43 Biber Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1622 1622 Beylerbey He was removed after 75 days; also known as Pır or Babür; former wali of Budin.
44 Silahdar Ibrahim Pasha [ar] No picture available 1622 1623 Beylerbey A drought led to his removal, and his successor had concerns about his financial management.
45 Kara Mustafa Pasha (1st) No picture available 1623 1623 Beylerbey Not the same as Grand Vizier Kara Mustafa Pasha.
46 Çeşteci Ali Pasha [ar] No picture available 1623 1623 Beylerbey Soldiers helped Kara Mustafa Pasha get his job back.
47 Kara Mustafa Pasha (2nd) No picture available 1624 1626 Beylerbey Soldiers, unhappy with how often governors changed, helped him return to power.
48 Bayram Pasha No picture available 1626 1628 Beylerbey He invested a lot in local businesses.
49 Tabanıyassı Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1628 1630 Beylerbey He appeared in public only 6 times, but people liked him.
50 Koca Musa Pasha No picture available 1630 1631 Beylerbey The army made him leave his job because of his harsh actions.
51 Halil Pasha No picture available 1631 1633 Beylerbey He was known for his "gentle, fair, and successful administration."
52 Bakırcı Ahmed Pasha No picture available 1633 1635 Beylerbey He was removed from power because of his harshness or his money policies.
53 Gazi Hüseyin Pasha No picture available 1635 1637 Beylerbey He was strict, but he kept the army under control.
54 Sultanzade Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1637 1640 Beylerbey He took control of wealth from some important and rich people.
55 Nakkaş Mustafa Pasha [ar] No picture available 1640 1642 Beylerbey His officials had a lot of power and took advantage of the land.
56 Maksud Pasha [ar] No picture available 1642 1644 Beylerbey He was previously the wali of Diyarbekir; the army removed him from power, and the sultan made a decision about his future.
57 Eyüb Pasha [ar] No picture available 1644 1646 Beylerbey He helped restore order, and after his term, he gave up all his possessions to become a dervish.
58 Haydarzade Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1646 1647 Beylerbey His rule was reportedly "only a series of confusions and revolutions."
59 Mostarlı Mustafa Pasha [ar] No picture available 1648 1648 Beylerbey He didn't pay much attention to his duties and was soon removed, but there were no uprisings.
60 Tarhoncu Ahmed Pasha No picture available 1648 1651 Beylerbey His rule was "agitated by great disturbances," but he managed to raise more funds than expected, as he was known for his economic skill.
61 Hadım Abdurrahman Pasha [ar] No picture available 1651 1652 Beylerbey After his removal, his successor had him held for not paying debts.
62 Haseki Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1652 1656 Beylerbey Known locally as Abu'l-Nur, "father of light," for helping to restore buildings.
63 Halıcı Damadı Mustafa Pasha [ar] No picture available 1656 1657 Beylerbey
64 Şehsuvarzade Gazi Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1657 1660 Beylerbey Known locally as Gazi for stopping a rebellion; he was later held.
65 Gürcü Mustafa Pasha [ar] No picture available 1660 1661 Beylerbey Some soldiers tried to replace him with the previous governor, but they didn't succeed.
66 Melek Ibrahim Pasha [tr] No picture available 1661 1664 Beylerbey He made the governor's office stronger over the local leaders; also known as Şeytan Ibrahim Pasha.
67 Silahdar Ömer Pasha [ar] No picture available 1664 1667 Beylerbey He was also the wali of Baghdad (1677–81, 1684–86), Diyarbekir (1688), and Erzurum.
68 Şişman Ibrahim Pasha [ar] No picture available 1667 1668 Beylerbey His nickname means "fat"; also called Sofu Ibrahim Pasha; he died in office in November 1668.
69 Karakaş Ali Pasha [ar] No picture available 1668 1669 Beylerbey He started his term in October 1668 or April 1669.
70 Bayburtlu Kara Ibrahim Pasha Kara İbrahim Pascha (1620–1687).jpg 1669 1673 Beylerbey
71 Canpuladzade Hüseyin Pasha [ar] No picture available 1673 1675 Beylerbey
72 Cebeci Ahmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1675 1676 Beylerbey The army held him due to his harshness during tax collection.
73 Abdi Pasha the Albanian Arnavut Abdurrahman Abdi Pascha.jpg 1676 1680 Beylerbey
74 Osman Pasha the Bosnian No picture available 1680 1683 Beylerbey
75 Hamza Pasha [ar] No picture available 1683 1687 Beylerbey
76 Mollacık Hasan Pasha No picture available 1687 1687 Beylerbey Also called by the nickname Kethüda/Ketkhoda, but mostly just Hasan Pasha.
77 Damat Hasan Pasha (1st) No picture available 1687 1689 Beylerbey
78 Sarhoş Ahmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1689 1691 Beylerbey Died in office on March 13, 1691.
79 Hazinedar Moralı Ali Pasha [ar] No picture available 1691 1695 Beylerbey Also known as Moralı Hazinedar Ali Pasha (nicknames switched).
80 Çelebi Ismail Pasha No picture available 1695 1697 Beylerbey He was removed by the local soldiers.
Kesici Hasan Pasha [ar] No picture available 1697 1698 Kaymakam He was a temporary governor, put in place by soldiers; he served for 5 to 8 months.
81 Firari Hüseyin Pasha [ar] No picture available 1698 1699 Beylerbey Also known by the nicknames Boşnak (Bosniak), Sarı, Dizveren, and Muradi.
82 Kara Mehmed Pasha (1st) No picture available 1699 1704 Beylerbey
83 Baltacı Süleyman Pasha [ar] No picture available 1704 1704 Beylerbey He never took office.
84 Rami Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1704 1706 Beylerbey
85 Dellak Ali Pasha [ar] (1st) No picture available 1706 1707 Beylerbey
86 Damat Hasan Pasha (2nd) No picture available 1707 1709 Beylerbey
87 Moralı Ibrahim Pasha No picture available 1709 1710 Beylerbey He was held and sent away by the sultan after being removed.
88 Köse Halil Pasha No picture available 1710 1711 Beylerbey He was removed by local leaders.
89 Veli Mehmed Pasha (1st) No picture available 1711 1712 Beylerbey There was an uprising started by a Turkish religious leader, but it failed.
90 Kara Mehmed Pasha (2nd) No picture available 1712 1712 Beylerbey He held the office for a very short time.
91 Veli Mehmed Pasha (2nd) No picture available 1712 1714 Beylerbey
92 Abdi Pasha [ar] (1st) No picture available 1714 1716 Beylerbey He ended the remaining parts of the uprising that began in 1711.
93 Dellak Ali Pasha [ar] (2nd) No picture available 1716 1720 Beylerbey His rule was peaceful, but the sultan ordered his removal.
94 Recep Pasha No picture available 1720 1721 Beylerbey He was removed after failing to carry out the sultan's orders.
95 Nişancı Mehmed Pasha [tr] (1st) No picture available 1721 1725 Beylerbey He was removed by the forces of Çerkes Mehmed Bey after upsetting him.
96 Moralı Ali Pasha No picture available 1725 1726 Beylerbey
97 Nişancı Mehmed Pasha [tr] (2nd) No picture available 1726 1727 Beylerbey
98 Ebubekir Pasha (1st) No picture available 1727 1729 Beylerbey
99 Abdi Pasha [ar] (2nd) No picture available 1729 1729 Beylerbey
100 Köprülü Abdullah Pasha No picture available 1729 1731 Beylerbey
101 Silahdar Damat Mehmed Pasha [tr] No picture available 1731 1733 Beylerbey
102 Muhassıl Osman Pasha No picture available 1733 1735 Beylerbey There was a man claiming to be a prophet, and widespread fears about the end of the world.
103 Ebubekir Pasha (2nd) No picture available 1735 1739 Beylerbey He was removed by local troops.
104 Sulayman Pasha al-Azm No picture available 1739 1740 Beylerbey He was removed by local troops.
105 Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha (1st) 1740 1741 Beylerbey His rule was peaceful and free of uprisings.
106 Hatibzade Yahya Pasha No picture available 1741 1743 Beylerbey He was the son-in-law of the previous governor, Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha.
107 Yedekçi Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1743 1744 Beylerbey Troops protested, asking for pay and food from the storage.
108 Koca Mehmed Ragıp Pasha No picture available 1744 1748 Beylerbey He was a "profound scholar"; local troops made him step down.
109 Yeğen Ali Pasha [ar] No picture available 1748 1748 Beylerbey He was the nephew of Yedekçi Mehmed Pasha; he was only appointed for a week and never took office.
110 Nişancı Ahmed Pasha No picture available 1748 1751 Beylerbey He was interested in science, but he found that many Egyptians were not very educated.
111 Seyyid Abdullah Pasha No picture available 1751 1753 Beylerbey
112 Divitdar Mehmed Emin Pasha No picture available 1753 1753 Beylerbey He died very soon after starting his term.
113 Baltacızade Mustafa Pasha [ar] No picture available 1752 1756 Beylerbey
114 Hekimoğlu Ali Pasha (2nd) 1756 1757 Beylerbey His second term was also mostly peaceful.
115 Sa'deddin Pasha al-Azm No picture available 1757 1757 Beylerbey He was the nephew of Sulayman Pasha al-Azm.
116 Yirmisekizzade Mehmed Said Pasha Said Effendi by Coypel in Paris in 1742.jpg 1757 1758 Beylerbey
117 Köse Bahir Mustafa Pasha (1st) No picture available 1758 1761 Beylerbey
118 Kamil Ahmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1761 1761 Beylerbey He was removed in August 1761 by the local leaders.
119 Köse Bahir Mustafa Pasha (2nd) No picture available 1761 1762 Beylerbey He was put back in office by the local leaders.
120 Ebubekir Rasim Pasha [ar] No picture available 1762 1762 Beylerbey He died two months into his term and was buried in the City of the Dead in Cairo.
121 Ahıskalı Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1762 1764 Beylerbey
122 Hacı Ahmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1764 1764 Beylerbey He died soon after taking office in September 1764.
123 Macar Hacı Hasan Pasha No picture available 1764 1765 Beylerbey He was removed soon after taking office.
124 Silahdar Mahir Hamza Pasha [tr] No picture available 1765 1767 Beylerbey He was removed by the local leaders.
125 Çelebi Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1767 1767 Beylerbey
126 Rakım Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1767 1768 Beylerbey He was removed by Ali Bey Al-Kabir after making a move against him.
Ali Bey Al-Kabir Ali Bey al-kabir.jpg 1768 1769 Kaymakam He became temporary governor after forcing out the last governor.
127 Köprülü Hafız Ahmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1769 1769 Beylerbey He died shortly after taking office.
128 Kelleci Osman Pasha [ar] No picture available 1769 1771 Beylerbey After him, a kaymakam (temporary governor) probably ruled for a year.
129 Vekil Osman Pasha [ar] No picture available 1772 1773 Beylerbey He died shortly after taking office.
130 Kara Halil Pasha [ar] No picture available 1773 1774 Beylerbey He had little power; the real power was held by Mamluk Muhammad Bey Abu'l-Dhahab.
131 Hacı Ibrahim Pasha [ar] No picture available 1774 1775 Beylerbey
132 Izzet Mehmed Pasha No picture available 1775 1778 Beylerbey He was removed by local Mamluk leaders on July 15, 1778.
133 Raif Ismail Pasha [ar] (1st) No picture available 1779 1779 Beylerbey He was replaced by the sultan in late September 1779 with Ibrahim Pasha.
134 Ibrahim Pasha No picture available 1779 1779 Beylerbey He died in office in November 1779 (one month after he arrived).
135 Raif Ismail Pasha [ar] (2nd) No picture available 1779 1780 Beylerbey He was reappointed in November 1779, but removed by local Mamluk leaders in July 1780.
Ibrahim Bey (1st) Ibrahim Bey (cropped).jpg 1780 1781 Kaymakam The sultan gave the office back to Raif Ismail Pasha, but Ibrahim Bey did not agree.
136 Melek Mehmed Pasha [tr] No picture available 1781 1782 Beylerbey His rule was peaceful and he was well-liked by the leaders.
137 Name unknown No picture available 1782 1783 Beylerbey His identity is unknown, perhaps partially named "Sharif/Şerif Pasha."
138 Silahdar Mehmed Pasha [tr] No picture available 1783 1784 Beylerbey He was removed by the Mamluk leader Murad Bey on October 30, 1784.
Murad Bey Mourad-Bey ag1.png 1784 1785 Kaymakam He removed his predecessor, but he was already the real ruler of Egypt.
Ibrahim Bey (2nd) Ibrahim Bey (cropped).jpg 1784 1785 Kaymakam The incoming governor made him temporary governor on February 20, 1785.
139 Yeğen Seyyid Mehmed Pasha [tr] No picture available 1785 1786 Beylerbey Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha sent away the Mamluk leaders (Murad and Ibrahim).
Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Paşa büstü.JPG 1786 1787 Admiral He was the real ruler when Keki Abdi Pasha did not take the office until the leaders were defeated.
140 Keki Abdi Pasha (1st) No picture available 1787 1788 Beylerbey Appointed on October 24, 1786, but left governing to Hasan Pasha for a while.
141 Ismail Pasha the Tripolitanian (1st) No picture available 1788 1789 Beylerbey The sultan put Keki Abdi Pasha back in office at his request on January 3, 1789.
142 Keki Abdi Pasha (2nd) No picture available 1789 1789 Beylerbey Cezayirli Gazi Hasan Pasha, Ismail Pasha's teacher, asked the sultan to put him back in office.
143 Ismail Pasha the Tripolitanian (2nd) No picture available 1789 1791 Beylerbey He was removed and appointed governor of Morea Eyalet.
144 Safranbolulu Izzet Mehmet Pasha No picture available 1791 1794 Beylerbey Murad Bey and Ibrahim Bey, who were sent away in 1786, returned to real power.
145 Kayserili Hacı Salih Pasha No picture available 1794 1796 Beylerbey Mamluk leaders Murad Bey and Ibrahim Bey continued to hold real power.
The French occupied Egypt in 1798, with Napoleon Bonaparte (1798–99), Jean Baptiste Kléber (1799–1800), and Jacques-François Menou (1800–01) holding real governing power.
146 Lokmacı Hacı Ebubekir Pasha [ar] No picture available 1796 1798 Beylerbey French troops led by Napoleon landed at Alexandria and later reached Cairo.
147 Abdullah Pasha al-Azm No picture available 1798 1799 Beylerbey Napoleon had him confirmed as governor to show that the Ottomans agreed to his rule.
147 Nasuh Pasha al-Azm No picture available 1800 1801 Beylerbey The French left Cairo (and eventually Egypt altogether).
The French occupation ended in 1801, after a combined attack by British and Ottoman forces.
148 Ebu Merak Mehmed Pasha [ar] No picture available 1801 1801 Beylerbey He was removed on September 21, 1801, and left for his estate on January 8, 1802.
149 Koca Hüsrev Mehmed Pasha (1st) Koca husrev.jpg 1802 1803 Beylerbey He arrived on January 22, 1802; he was told to remove or hold Mamluk leaders.
Tahir Pasha No picture available 1803 1803 Kaymakam He took power; he was the head of Albanian troops; his time in office ended suddenly by soldiers in 26 days.
Albanian troops led by Muhammad Ali of Egypt, originally sent in 1801 by the Ottoman sultan to fight the French, gained real control of Egypt from the Ottomans.
150 Müftizade Ahmed Pasha No picture available 1803 1803 Governor He took power in June against the Albanians, even though they had real control.
Ibrahim Bey (3rd; concurrently) Ibrahim Bey (cropped).jpg 1803 1804 Kaymakam He was made governor by Muhammad Ali of Egypt in June, who ruled through him.
151 Trabluslu Ali Pasha (concurrently) Ali Pascha, bey i Algier - Nationalmuseum - 15947.tif 1803 1804 Beylerbey He was sent by the Ottomans in July to take back Egypt from the Albanians, but he was removed.
152 Koca Hüsrev Mehmed Pasha (2nd) Koca husrev.jpg 1804 1804 Beylerbey He was a puppet governor for 2 days under Muhammad Ali of Egypt.
153 Hurshid Ahmed Pasha Hoursit.jpg 1804 1805 Beylerbey Muhammad Ali of Egypt allowed him to govern, but then made him step down in favor of himself.
154 Muhammad Ali of Egypt ModernEgypt, Muhammad Ali by Auguste Couder, BAP 17996.jpg 1805 Muhammad Ali, leader of the Albanians, was officially appointed governor in 1805, starting the Muhammad Ali dynasty;
see List of monarchs of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty for governors after 1805.

Images for kids

See also

  • List of monarchs of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty, 1805–1953
  • Egypt Province, Ottoman Empire
  • History of Ottoman Egypt
  • Lists of rulers of Egypt
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List of Ottoman governors of Egypt Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.